


stay for just a little bit longer

by shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars



Series: Barnes-Foster-Houston Household [1]
Category: Black Friday - Team StarKid
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff, F/M, Hannah and Tim are Buddies, Jane is Dead Still, Jane is Webby, Tim also makes a Marvel Reference, Tim is 9 turning 10, Tim is sad, Tom Drinks Dad Juice, dream - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:29:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24072979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars/pseuds/shipsthatcouldshowyouthestars
Summary: tim wishes his dream could last for a little bit longer, that it won't disappear before him.
Relationships: Implied Becky Barnes/Tom Houston, Implied Paul Matthews/Emma Perkins, Tim Houston & Jane Perkins, Tom Houston & Tim Houston, Tom Houston/Jane Perkins
Series: Barnes-Foster-Houston Household [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1738948
Comments: 14
Kudos: 28





	stay for just a little bit longer

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Found Families are the Best Kind](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24058771) by [memoriesaremine](https://archiveofourown.org/users/memoriesaremine/pseuds/memoriesaremine). 



> full disclosure: i sat in bed last night crying my eyes out and so did liv.
> 
> some mom jane & child tim for your friday morning.

Tim had curled up under his comforter in the bed his dad made him before Hannah had come in. He’d finally begun swimming (much to Lex’s friend Bug’s excitement) and he was absolutely exhausted. He’d showered, eaten dinner, and fallen asleep the second he got home. His math workbook and English workbook could wait. Sleep was better.

He woke up not in his bed. He was on a beach, which was odd. He and Tom hadn’t gone to the beach in quite a few years, and he didn’t think they’d be going back, not since Jane died. He touched the sand. It felt warm under his touch. He breathed in the salty air, and it reminded him of his mom. She’d loved the water, and he remembered she loved the beach. She hated the sand though, which had led him to throw sand at her as a stupid 6-year-old boy. He wished he hadn’t done it now. 

“Tim.”

That was his name. That voice sounded familiar and it pulled at his heart and the pit in his stomach. He hadn’t heard that voice in over a year now. It rang out through his mind on good days and bad days. It was in memories he couldn’t bear to lose. It’d lulled him to sleep and whispered jokes to him. It’d cheered him on and sang him little lullabies. It was his mom’s voice. The same calm voice he wished he could still hear. 

“Mommy?” He whispered, looking around. The source of the voice wasn't in his peripheral vision. He spotted a woman near the edge of the water and he took off running towards her. The closer he got, the more he confirmed it was Jane. She had the same curly brown hair, the same brown eyes, the same height, everything was the same. 

“Hi, buddy.” Jane whispered, opening her arms to him. He came to a screeching halt, fearing that if he got too close, she’d disappear like in the nightmares. If he touched her, she’d dissolve like in that Marvel movie he’d watched with Ethan. He couldn’t let her disappear. Not now.

“It’s okay,” Jane said gently. 

“You won’t disappear?” He asked quietly, rubbing at his eyes. He could feel tears pricking at the back of them.

“Not yet, sweetheart,” Jane approached him and leaned down to his level. “Not till you wake up.” 

“I gotta wake up?” He said, shaking his head. “I don’t wanna. You won’t be there.” He felt the tears in his eyes. 

“Eventually,” Jane said with an affectionate smile. “And that’s not true. I’m always here.” 

“But you aren’t with Daddy and I at home!” He argued. 

“I may not be there in person. You may not see me, but I am  _ always  _ watching over you. Both of you.” Jane kissed the top of Tim’s head. “Mommy had to go make sure you and Daddy were safe from the nasty monsters in the Black and White.” 

Tim just paused before throwing his arms around her, grabbing onto her jacket tightly. If he never woke up, he didn’t have to stop hugging her. He thought that was a solid plan. 

“If you don’t wake up, Daddy will be sad,” Jane said, somehow reading his thoughts. 

“Not yet. Please, not yet, Mommy.” He begged.

“I didn’t say you had to wake up yet, darling,” Jane said softly. “But if there’s one thing I know, it’s that Daddy needs you out there.” 

“And Daddy and I need you too.” He mumbled, “Can’t you come back?” He knew it was a long shot. He knew it deep down, but it was worth a try.

“No, baby,” Jane squeezed him tightly like she used to do when he was little. “If I’m not watching out for you from the Black and White, who will?” 

“What’s the Black and White?” He asked quietly. “Can you tell me? Like story time?” He’d missed Jane’s stories. She smiled and sat down in the sand with him, letting him lean on her as the water receded.

“It’s a place,” Jane began slowly. “It’s a place where some people end up, when things happen. And it’s only some people.”

“Special people?” He asked, blinking back his tears.

“Yes,” Jane said. “Special people. And those people live in the Black and White, and keep the nasty monsters that want to escape the Black and White away. Otherwise, things wouldn’t be good.” 

“Does Hannah’s friend Webby live there? She’s got a friend named Webby that lives in her head.” He asked as he held onto her tightly still.

Jane chuckled softly to herself. “Yes. Yes she does.” 

“Can you say hi to Webby for me when you go back…? She keeps Hannah safe and happy.” He informed her. “I like Webby.” 

“That’s good,” Jane said with another laugh. “I like Webby too. And she helps me keep you and Daddy and Lex and Ethan and Hannah all safe from the bad guys. She’s very good.” 

“Does she help keep Becky safe too?” He asked. Becky was Tom’s girlfriend. She wasn’t Jane, but she wasn’t too bad. She was nice and took him to Pizza Pete’s a lot. She also made good cookies.

“She didn’t know about Becky before, but she is protecting her now,” Jane said thoughtfully, stroking Tim’s hair. 

“I don’t wanna go, Mommy. I miss you.” He rubbed his eyes to keep the tears away.

“I miss you too,” Jane said, tears pricking her eyes. “You and Daddy. Every day.” 

“I...I have a bad dream where you and Daddy disappear.” He confessed. “I don’t like it. It’s scary. Auntie Emma isn’t there after in the dream and I never see her again.”

“I know, baby,” Jane said, pulling Tim closer. “Those are the bad guys, trying to scare you. Sometimes, the monsters are able to scare people, even brave kids like you.” 

“I’m not brave, Mommy.” He shook his head. “I cry too much to be brave.”

“Yes, you are, Tim,” Jane said. “All heroes and brave people cry. Crying is good.” 

“Does Daddy cry?”

“Believe it or not, Daddy cries too.” 

“Daddy showed me pictures of you and Auntie Emma surprising him when you found out I was gonna be a boy. Did you see it?” He asked, the memory appearing in his head.

“I remember that,” Jane said with a gentle laugh. “That was a good day. Your Auntie Emma was so excited.” 

“Do you watch Auntie Emma too?” He could feel a smile pulling at his lips.

“I do,” Jane said. “Her and Uncle Paul. They’re on my list of people to keep safe too.” 

“Auntie Emma won’t say she’s dating Uncle Paul.” He giggled. 

“Don’t tell anyone, but she is,” Jane lowered her voice conspiratorially. 

“Really?!” He sat up. “They’re dating?”

“As of last week, yes. But they haven’t told anyone. I just know because I can hear her brain talking to me sometimes.” 

“Auntie Emma didn’t tell me! I saw her yesterday! Lex took me to Beanies and we saw her friend and Auntie Emma.” He crossed his arms. “Does Auntie Emma talk about me?”

“She loves you very much, Tim,” Jane said. “Almost as much as I do.” 

“I love Auntie Emma too. She’s nice and funny. She lets Hannah and I stay up late, but don’t tell Daddy that because he won’t let her do that anymore.” He looked up at Jane before grabbing her finger. Except his hand went right through,Tim shuddered. 

“Mommy?” He looked up, “Mommy, don’t go.” He begged. “Please, Mommy-”

“I told you I had to go,” Jane said sadly. “I gotta fight the monsters, remember?” 

“Can you come back soon?” He whimpered. “Or, or tell me when you’re back?” He tried to blink back tears, but they fell regardless. He felt Jane’s half-transparent hand wipe at them.

“I’ll come back as soon as I can,” Jane promised. “And in the mean-time, I’ll always be watching over you and Daddy, even if you can’t see me.” 

“I love you, Mommy.” He whispered. “Daddy does too.”

“I love you, too, Tim,” Jane was fading quicker now, almost completely invisible. “Tell Daddy and Auntie Emma hello, will you?” 

“Of course, Mommy, anything!” He tried to grab her hand one last time to say goodbye, but she disappeared and he fell onto the ground, sitting up immediately in his bed, the blankets bunched up around him.

He burst into tears and hugged his pillow. He could still smell the salty air and feel the sand beneath his toes, and it just made him sadder. 

“Tim?” he heard in the doorway. “Buddy? Are you okay?” 

“No.” He sobbed, hiding his face in the red pillowcase. Tom opened the door and checked on Hannah, who was still fast asleep, before coming over to Tim.

“What happened? Bad dream?” He sat down next to him.

“No,” Tim said. “Good dream. I talked to Mommy. But she had to go and I didn’t get to tell her everything I wanted to.” He was shaking, leaning into Tom’s side.

“What did Mommy say?” Tom asked, his own voice growing heavy with sorrow. 

“Mommy said she loves us,” Tim sniffled. “And that she has to stay in the Black and White to keep us safe from the bad guys. I don’t really know what that means, but she’s being like a superhero. But I don’t like it if it means she has to go.” 

“Mommy has always been a superhero, and sometimes, superheroes have to go on super long missions to be the best.” Tom said, rubbing his back. “Mommy is one of those superheroes.”

“I miss Mommy,” Tim said into Tom’s chest. “I miss Mommy a lot.” 

“I miss Mommy too.” Tom said softly. “What did you and Mommy talk about?” He asked.

“She told me about the cool stuff she does in the Black and White,” Tim said. “And that she knows Hannah’s friend Webby. And we talked about Auntie Emma and Uncle Paul and you and Mommy but then I went to hold Mommy’s finger and she disappeared.” He sniffled, grabbing onto Tom’s finger tight. Tom was there. He wasn’t going to disappear. “And Mommy said that she was always watching over us.” 

“I bet she is,” Tom said, moving his hand to squeeze Tim’s a bit. “I know she is. And I’m here too, you know?” 

“I know, Daddy,” Tim said softly. “I know.” Tim leaned up against his dad and buried his head in Tom’s chest. “Mommy said I was brave,” Tim added after a moment. “Do you think I’m brave, Daddy?” 

“I think you’re the bravest kid in the whole wide world.” He pressed a kiss to his head.

“Really?” Tim lifted his head. 

“Really,” Tom said firmly. “You’re gonna be a superhero one day, just like Mommy. And I’m gonna be so proud when you do. Wait, let me correct myself. You’re already a superhero and I’m so  _ goddamn _ proud of you.” 

“I love you, Daddy.” He whispered. “I really love you.” 

“I love you too, kiddo,” Tom murmured back. “I love you so much.” 

They couldn’t hear her in the Black and White, but Jane said I love you to her boys, before turning back to face the challenges of the Black and White. Keeping them safe made it all worth it. 

The next morning, Hannah and Tim sat side-by-side at the kitchen counter, eating breakfast that Becky had made before work. It was school break, so they didn’t have to be up early, but Tim had never gone back to bed and Hannah usually woke up early.

“Webby says hi.” She said quietly.

“Hi, Webby,” Tim replied. “Tell her I say hi?” 

Hannah nodded and closed her eyes. After a moment, she opened them again, looking a bit confused. “Webby also said to say she loves you, and she’s sorry she didn’t get to say it last night.” 

It all made sense now. Mommy had said she was watching over them, and Webby was keeping Hannah and all of them safe, and helping them. Mommy had been telling the truth. She’d been watching over them all this time. The thought made him feel warm and fuzzy. 

“Mommy’s Webby?” He asked quietly, unable to hide his grin. 

“Mhm,” Hannah said. 

“Tell Mommy I love her too,” Tim said. “And to be careful being a superhero.” 

“Mommy says to do this.” Hannah held out her finger and Tim grabbed it with a smile.    
  
“Mommy, Daddy, and I do that.” He explained.

“I know,” Hannah said. “Webby told me. You have a really good mom.” 

“Mommy’s nice.” He said. “I have a secret Mommy told me.”

“Yeah?” 

“Auntie Emma and Uncle Paul are dating now.” He whispered, “But you can’t tell anyone!”

“They are?” Lex popped her head into the conversation and grinned. 

“No!” Tim shook his head, “I’m kidding! Joking! Please don’t tell Auntie Emma.”

“Oh I won’t,” Lex said with a smirk. “Don’t you worry.” 

Tim grinned. His mom was a superhero spider who was watching them to make sure they were okay. He sure did love her.

And he knew she loved him too. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> ow, this hurt to write, it did.  
> i hope you enjoyed!!  
> comments & kudos are HIGHLY appreciated.


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